Nigerian Health Ministry launches Rapid Result Initiative

The Nigeria’s Ministry of Health has launched the Rapid Result Initiative programme, tagged: “Better Health for all.”

The programme is designed to produce quick and visible impact that would affect the lives of every Nigerian, especially the most vulnerable and poor in the society.

The Launch of the programme portrayed the preparedness and determination of the Federal Ministry of Health to kick-start the operationalization of the programme to achieve result within 100 days.

While briefing the newsmen, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the set targeted goals are ambitious, but certainly achievable and would keep the top management of the Federal Ministry of Health on their toes in the next 100 days of implementation.

The Minister of Health said the Rapid Result Initiative would be deployed in seven major areas that would conform to both local and international health standards.

Under this project, Prof. Adewole said the Federal Ministry of Health would work to revamp 110 Primary Health Centres within the next 100 days, one in each senatorial district, including a facility in Fuka Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Minister explained that the Fuka community suffered high case fatality from Lassa fever due to cultural interpretation of the cause of the disease.

He said: “During my unscheduled visit to FUKA, I noticed that there was no functional Primary Health Centre to offer basic health care and I promised that Federal Government will provide a functional facility. Today as we speak, the Fuka Primary Health Centre is ready for commissioning.”

The Minister said the Ministry would also inaugurate Mutual Health Associations at community level to improve access to affordable and qualitative health care.

The Mutual Health Associations are incorporated body registered by the National Health Insurance Scheme exclusively to access health care service through health care facilities accredited by the scheme, he explained.

Speaking on malnourished children in North East, Prof. Adewole said that Rapid Response Initiative would focus on treating 200,000 Malnourished children who are under five years of age in the North-East region of the country.

The Minister further explained that 10,000 surgeries, including Herniorrhaphy, Cleft lip and palate repairs, Myomectomy, Hysterectomy, Vesico-Vaginal Fistula VVF among others would be carried out in 46 federal tertiary institutions for indigent Nigerians.

The Minister said the initiative was to have at least one laboratory in each geopolitical region including the Federal Capital Territory.

He explained further that the designated Hospital as Laboratories were University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, University Of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, University of Enugu Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital and Asokoro/Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital Federal Capital Territory.

Prof. Adewole said that the Health Ministry would partner with Novo Nordisk to screen about 500,000 Nigerians for diabetes and they would be appropriately referred to facilities that would cater for their needs if need be.

The Health Minister added that the Media and Publicity component of Rapid Response Initiative would be on ground to engender trust and accountability through media campaigns and close monitoring of the programme to ensure that quality services were provided to the people as promised.